Black Crow and Blue Fairy english version
by Medley Nightfallen
Summary: It's been a month since Gajeel disappeared. Worried, Makarov chose to reveal Gajeel's role as a double agent to his members. As they made their way to rescue the Dragon Slayer, the war between Fairy Tail and Raven Tail began... author: Yankee-chan
1. Doubt Trust War

**Here is the second fanfiction from Yankee-chan, and I am honored to have been nominated as the translator again. I really hope you would enjoy it or at least read it because according to me her stories really deserve to be read. But like I said it's just my opinion. Gajeel and Levy are the best pairing ever! (why? ...because!)**

Levy was walking quietly in one of the streets in Magnolia, enjoying the sky tinged with purple reflections at the end of the day. She didn't know what to do in the guild so she decided to come back home. It had been over two months since they returned from Tenrou Island, covered with wounds due to the fight against Grimoire Heart, and she was enjoying a good deserved rest. As she crossed the bridge over the river that flowed across the city, she suddenly saw a familiar silhouette. A beaming smile lit up her face and she ran toward her friend.

"Gajeel, wait!"

The Dragon Slayer slowed his pace, but he didn't face her, as cold and secret as ever. Since they had come back, Levy talked with him more than before, even if he was always wearing his grumpy and reserved expression plus. Before this episode on the island, they were just used to ignore each other, or sometimes to glance at each other, or rarely to greet each other, only to avoid each other once more. But now that they had been a team, new bonds between them had germinated, and the young girl didn't hesitate anymore to go to speak with him and learn about him (even if he didn't let her learn a lot about him).

"Are you okay?" She asked with a smile as she walked beside him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. And you?"

He answered her by courtesy and not by real desire to have a conversation with her, but it didn't matter.

"Yes, I'm fine. Where are you going?"

It was true, she could ask with the sight of his beige bag dangling on his shoulder, undeniable sign that he was leaving Magnolia.

"Mission." He growled, still keeping staring in front of him, not paying more attention to the young girl.

"And will you walk until you reach your destination? Can I go walk with you until the exit of the town? And what's your job?"

Gajeel sighed. Sometimes she'd become annoying with her damned questions, and he wasn't known for his patience. After a long moment, he eventually turned his head toward her, his red eyes dipping into hers before he declared with a monotone but slightly irritated voice :

"Yeah I will. Walk with me if you want, I don't care. And about the mission, I just have to beat up a gang of thieves. Happy?"

"Now yes." The blue haired young girl laughed. "Can I ask you something else or am I too annoying?"

Ah, she was smarter than she seemed. Yet Gajeel had done all his possible to hide his exasperation, even if he already had noticed that Levy often managed to read in him like he was a book. And that disturbed him even more.

"Just one then, he grumbled and pouted."

"Don't you ever get tired of always taking missions about hitting someone?"

The Solid Script mage crossed her hands behind her back, a strange expression on her face. A sort of weird mix of curiosity and sadness.

"Nope. At least it make me feel good, and can you honestly imagine me helping old hags in the town and doing shopping for them or something like that?"

"You say that, but you never tried to help old ladies, maybe you'd enjoy it." She teased him and gave him a friendly nudge.

"I haven't the face of employment, so I don't do it."

"If you say so..."

The young girl giggled as an image of the iron mage carrying bags and following an old lady who couldn't stop rambled popped in her head. As she didn't find what else to say, she still kept her smile on her lips and walked silently beside the dragon. She knew he didn't want to be mean by talking this way. And to tell the truth, a Gajeel suddenly turning into a polite human being wasn't a normal Gajeel. After a moment which seemed too short for the young girl, they arrived to the frontiers of the city and unfortunately for her, she had to stay and he had to leave.

"Be careful, okay?" Levy stated with a small voice, her throat painful, remembering the bad memories on Tenrou Island. Watching him as he had collapsed covered with blood right before her eyes... this image will remain forever engraved in her memory. Just like the day they met for the first time.

"Don't worry, I'll be right back" he answered with confidence, his tone calmed her slightly.

Suddenly, Gajeel let his lips form a tiny smile as he intensively stared at her, and he let his hand caress her cheek with his fingertips. Then he turned away and left without a word. Levy remained immobile during several minutes, his last words and his last movements inscribed in her brain. Her whole body was pink and her heart was beating furiously in her chest while she was watching his silhouette fading little by little on the horizon. And finally, when she didn't see him anymore, she inspired deeply before she went home in the opposite direction, the scene was going back and forth in her mind, and she was secretly troubled by his gesture. She already wanted to see him again.

But the days went by. First one, then two, then three. And it's been a week. And finally, it's been a month. And still no news about Gajeel. Only his presence in the young girl's mind was persisted, as a vortex of questions and worries. Where was he? What was he doing? Why didn't he return? Did something happen to him? The anxiety was floating like a big cloud above her head, darkening her thoughts and her days.

Levy noticed that a lot of things seemed suspicious since the Dragon Slayer had gone, or more precisely, a month after his disappearance. She noticed things since she wasn't the only one to worry about him. Master often talked with Pantherlily who had stayed in the Guild too, with a low tone and a concerned expression on his face. Did Makarov and Lily speak about Gajeel? And why didn't the Dragon Slayer return? He said he was leaving for a simple mission, it wasn't supposed to take that long! Was he in trouble?

Completely obsessed by anxiety, Levy couldn't even read anymore, losing her legendary concentration when she was beginning a novel, her thoughts were all turned toward the iron mage. She didn't speak a lot with her friends anymore, and she had to hide her sadness behind a smile when she was amongst them. This night, the young girl went home early, following the same way she had taken the day she saw him for the last time, hoping he would be here again. When she arrived at the place where they had separated, she waited for him a long time, scanning the same horizon where he had disappeared. But she had to realize that Gajeel wouldn't come back tonight. Disappointed and sad, she slowly took the long way home, the rising moon enlightened her pace but not her mind. She walked until she saw a certain cat in front of her, trying to open a door to high for him.

"Good evening Lily." The young girl greeted.

"Ah, Good evening Levy. How are you?" The cat answered, trying desperately to reach the door handle without transform himself or use his wings because he didn't want to use magic for something so banal.

"Fine... I'm fine, thanks... are you living here?"

"With Gajeel yes, but he's still not here, so I'm living alone for now."

"I know, I'm worried. He told me he was leaving for a mission, but he didn't return yet." The young girl's voice cracked as she dropped her head to hide the fear appearing on her face.

"Did he tell you what was his work?"

"He said he had to beat a gang of thieves. Why? Didn't he tell you? Or do you know something?"

The tiny black cat faced the mage, hesitating and thinking about the words he should carefully choose before answering her.

"Well, he didn't really go on an ordinary work... I know the mission Master gave him because he told me... He's worried about Gajeel too." He stated and narrowed his eyes.

"How that? What mission? What do you mean by "not an ordinary work"?"

Levy started seriously to worry. Just Lily's tone didn't tell her it was good news. Neither did his words.

"Well I... I can't talk about it, not really. The only thing I can tell you is that Master ignores if he is in danger,or if Gajeel just decided to never come back."

"Never come back? What do you mean Lily?" The young girl exclaimed and played with her hands, her eyes full of horror, her being struck by his words.

Gajeel? Never come back? Why wouldn't he want to come back? The cat was certainly kidding, he couldn't leave the Guild after all this moment spent together, could he?

"Sorry Levy, but Master forbid me to talk about it, exactly because that could put Gajeel in danger."

"But..."

"If things really dragged on, I think Makarov will talk to everyone, be patient, but I can't tell you more for now."

"Great, you just manage to make me worry even more..."

The cat gave her a sad and sorry smile, before they said goodbye to each other and Levy came back home, head full with questions. She didn't understand what the black cat meant by telling her this, and she fell asleep at a very late hour in the night, her mind haunted by three words which came back and forth, followed by multiple questions.

_Gajeel... Mission...Danger..._

...

Since Panther Lily had half-confessed this to her, Levy couldn't help but have strange dreams, filled with painful memories, war against Phantom Lord, the first time she met Gajeel, and the recent events on Tenrou Island. Why did their relation have to be so tainted by blood? If Gajeel was really in danger, this blood could flow again... And the days went by, monotone, full of doubts and questions, filled with headaches and heartaches due to the amount of reflections and memories of the past.

A week after that doubt and fear had begun to conquered her, something finally change. Levy was sitting at the bar, her head resting against the counter, staring at the content of her glass with empty eyes, not paying attention to the fight behind her, engaged by Natsu who allegedly had deliberately reverse his container full of molten lava on Grey's pants. As the fight was reach its peak, Makarov turned away from Lily and coughed loudly, hoping to get all the mages' attention, but it didn't work. Would he roar again and again until the end?

"CUT IT OUT, YOU FOOLS!"

After several seconds, everyone stayed still, listening. Why did he have to yell all the time?

"I have an important announcement for you, so calm down and listen to me!"

Levy's heart began to pound as she remembered the words Lily told her, a few days ago.

_"If things really dragged on, I think Makarov will talk to everyone, be patient, but I can't tell you more for now"_

Slowly she raised her head and looked at Master who was standing on the counter. She was suddenly very attentive, like everyone.

"Surely you noticed that Gajeel disappeared for more than a month now."

Affirmative noises rang from everywhere, but the silence fell again quickly when the small mage spoke again.

"It's getting long, and I think that like me some of you are worried about him. If Gajeel isn't here, there is a reason. And I can't keep the secret any longer. You see, when he joined us, I attributed him a mission only he could hope accomplish. I ordered him to spy my son Ivan who, after I've banish him, founded his own dark guild. He is a threat we can't ignore. It's Ivan who put a lacrima inside Laxus, just before I excommunicated him, but that's not the main topic... So, I asked Gajeel to play the double agent. Ivan believes he works for him and spies us, but this is the contrary. However, it's been a long time since he's gone and there are two possibilities. One, Ivan could have figured out he was a double agent and in that case, Gajeel is in great trouble. But on the contrary, and that's the risk I had to take... Gajeel could have betrayed us... and we won't be able to do anything for him. This is the true difficulty. React? Or not react? Knowing that, in both cases, we'll have to face the greatest fight of our life. I, I decided I'll go. Simply because he is a member of Fairy Tail and because I have to understand what happened. It's been too long this matter dragged on, it's time to solve the problem and the Council can go to hell. They better thanks me if we can get rid of Raven Tail. I don't force you to follow me because I know the risks. However, if some of you are volunteers, please stand next to me."

Immediately whispers of approval and disapproval rose. Everyone was digested the information and was thinking about the pros and cons. Levy knew that Gajeel's antecedents didn't play in his favor, she was doubting too now. Whenever he told her he was leaving on missions, while he was probably... she understood he didn't say anything to protect himself, but she couldn't help but feel sad and think that he still didn't trust her after all this time. And every time he protected her... was it just a ruse to integrate? Which side was he really? She suddenly didn't recognize him anymore, she had the impression to fall in a black hole, without anything to hang on. No. She still trusted him. Yes, Gajeel was her friend, she was worried about him, he couldn't have betrayed her, somehow she refused to believe he was a traitor. Determined she walked straight toward Master and declared with a determined voice filled with will :

"I'm coming, I trust Gajeel. I know he didn't betray us. He couldn't have done that."

Almost immediately, two mournful complaints could be heard in a corner. It was certainly not Jet and Droy who would join Makarov to freed their worst enemy, and before Levy could even ask them to explain, they burst out of the Guild and slammed the door behind them under their comrades' sorry eyes. Levy looked down, unfortunately for her teammates, she had chosen her side a long time ago, and it was the Dragon Slayer's. Since he had taken the lightening from Laxus for her actually.

And Levy's decision seemed to be the signal for the others. Lily joined them of course, standing beside the young girl with a comprehensive smile and happy to have her on his side, and she somehow managed to smile.

"I'm sure he had been caught, this idiot." Natsu joked and joined them, followed by Grey, Juvia, Lucy, Erza, Happy, Sharuru and Wendy of course.

"A man has to help another man!" Elfman bellowed as he stood in turn.

"We are coming too." Fried declared, followed Evergreen and Bixlow.

"Here I come! Maybe they got a lot of money hiding somewhere, it would be an opportunity to fill my wallet!" Macao approved as he approached the counter, followed by Wakaba who intended to participate too, just to opposite his old friend.

Then Cana, Max, Arzak and Bisca joined them. The others would stay at Fairy Tail.

Twenty-one mages. Master decided that would be enough for now, he didn't need everyone to come. It was primarily a reconnaissance mission, not a war between guilds, even if he knew the situation could turn this worse after. Motivated, the mages gathered weapons and magic lacrimas, determined to fight and to save their friend.

They had decided that everybody will meet at the guild the next morning to prepare a plan and that they will save their friend in the afternoon. So Levy went home, along with Lily who couldn't believe that so many people have volunteered, knowing what Gajeel did in the past. The young blue haired girl thought the same. It was because of this that she loved Fairy Tail. Because everyone were helping each other and acted like a real family. Panther Lily left, decided to prepare too, and the Solid Script mage could quietly take care of herself. At first she took a shower, letting the arm water relax her members, while she thought again about what happened earlier. She ignored that Gajeel had such an important role in the Guild, but it made her happy, convinced that he couldn't betray them so easily. Not after what they have been through, it was impossible. On one hand, she was relieved, convinced that the Dragon Slayer was on her side, but on the other she was worried. Who knows what Ivan could have done to him? She absolutely had to find him! Perfectly knowing that she couldn't sleep with her apprehension, she swallowed a sleeping pill, laid on her bed and fell asleep quickly, despite all the feelings swirling in her mind.

...

The next morning, when Levy woke up, she was unusually tense. No, despite the sleeping pill she took the day before, she hadn't sleep well, had dreamed about a thousand catastrophic scenario which could happened. She prepared her breakfast but didn't swallowed anything, and when she was ready, she finally walked toward the Guild, feeling stress, apprehension and worry wash over her with every step she took. When she arrived at Fairy Tail, a part of the volunteers was already here (the Raijin gang and a part of Natsu's team), gathered around a table and covered by all kind of weapons, speaking with low voices. But Levy didn't join them immediately. She rather walked toward the bar, spoke with Mirajane, Lucy and Bisca to relieve herself, somewhat feeling better as she noticed they were nervous too. Finally, at half past ten, everyone gathered around the same table where Master had spread a map of Fiore, with a black cross over a precise emplacement located at northwest of Mount Hakobe, between the sea and the mountain chain. Everyone were talking with low voices, perfectly understanding that the cross was showing the Raven Tail guild emplacement. When Makarov was certain that everybody was here and listening, he started to explain his plan.

"According to the information Gajeel gave me, Raven Tail has nearly ninety members. And they are not weak, the slightest error could mean death, we better be careful and act quickly. And I'm not talking about Ivan."

"I'll beat them all!" Natsu yelled, bouncing with impatience on his chair.

"Calm down flaming piece of shit. We can't rush in the crowd without thinking." Grey said with a annoyed voice.

"What did you say, perverted punk?"

"I said you were a flaming piece of shit, you idiot!"

While the two opposite mages fought, Makarov finished to explain his plan to the others, he didn't want to waste his time.

"First of all, we have to form two groups. The first one will have to attract all the Raven Tail mages outside and will fight against them, creating a diversion, while the second one will go and search Gajeel when the insides will be empty."

"What about if Gajeel will fight against us? What should we do? If the research team took unnecessary risks, they could die." Erza objected, standing above the map arms crossed.

"Don't worry about it, I have a plan. Lily, Happy and Sharuru will take charge of the transmission. If Gajeel arrive and fight against us, one of them will go to warn the research team, and we will take all our strength into the battle. However, if Gajeel had been caught for real and doesn't fight us, one of the cats will still warn the others so they could continue the research. I think Lily will take charge of this, if there will be still a few mages inside, you could help."

The black cat just nodded, with a serious and concentrated expression.

"I will look for Gajeel." Levy decided with a strong voice.

She knew she would be the most useless about fighting, and she preferred take charge of the research.

"Are you sure Levy?" Lucy asked with a concerned voice.

"Yes, don't worry. I'll be fine, I know I can do it."

"Agreed." the old Master continued. "He wouldn't oppose anyway. In this case, the others will fight the Raven Tail mages, and if Gajeel isn't with them, all we'll have to do is defeat them or hold on the longest as we can."

"Well, this is going to be interesting." Fried declared from a corner along with the others member of the Raijin gang's nods.

"Hey Levy! If you find the room where they'd hidden the money, call me!" Continua Macao.

"You idiot, you really think she will give up her research just to warn you?" Wakaba said as he put his last lacrimas in his bag.

While the half of the team fought each others, the ones who still listened reminded concentrated, they didn't want to screw anything.

When everyone was sure to know what they had to do, the mages went to the place indicated by the information that Gajeel managed to give. At first they took the train, not caring about the tourists and locals' astonished glances because of their serious faces and their heavy armed equipment. They stopped at Shirotsume, the last town in the west which possessed a train station, then they had to walk, and Raven Tail was still far. The night was starting to fall when they had done half way. They stopped near a forest and decided to camp.

The next morning, when they finally reach their destination at the beginning of the afternoon, the excitation and the tension increased all at once. Seeing the landscape, we couldn't say it was a desert, but there wasn't mountains either. There was white and gray rocks everywhere, as far as you can see, rising to the sky. And deep crevasses where smoke escaped and sometimes geysers. But there was nothing else. No animal, no sound, just silence and wind whirling between the weird columns, making the atmosphere more heavy and oppressing than ever. The only thing slashing this cold and dead landscape was a weird building, and everyone was shivering just by looking at it. It looked like an irregular tower, drifting from left to right, and its color was a mix of blue and black. The building was surrounding by crows flying in circle and croaking horribly. There was a big gate, like Fairy Tail's, excepted that no one felt the urge to open it. The Fairy Tail mages had barely noticed the adverse guild that they hid in a corner, behind rocks, to observe without being observed.

"What now? We run and scream and shoot everything on the way?" Natsu asked with a voice filled with willingness.

He was certainly the only one who didn't feel nervous despite such a situation.

"You fool, we can't do that!" Lucy shouted and hit him behind his head.

"Aye! They would nous notice immediately." Happy precised with a fish in his hand (well in his paw) which he wanted to use as a weapon.

"Yeah but that's what we want, don't we?" Grey said.

"Yes, but the surprise attack does exist." Erza approved.

_A surprise attack won't work, because we already know you're here._

Everyone jumped and turned around toward the origin of the weird voice to face a paper doll floating in the air which was staring at them too.

"That's Ivan's magic!" Makarov yelled as he stood abruptly, immediately followed by all the mages.

Natsu burnt the paper, but it would change anything, what was done was done. Following Makarov's order, the mages roared and ran toward Raven Tail, they couldn't hope to tempt a surprise attack anymore. The magic surrounded their bodies and their weapons, and they were ready to use them. At the same moment the big gate opened, revealing a hundred enemy mages, armed with swords, magic guns and other kind of weapons. The clash between the two guilds was deafening, magic colored circles and rays fusing on all sides. The opponents lost awareness of where they were due to the total chaos. Natsu was hitting everything he saw, rocks or enemies, crashing everything in his path. Bisca and Arzak remained hidden and tried to protect everyone with their guns. Erza had changed her armor and was fighting three mages simultaneously, moving so fast that her gestures were fuzzy. Wendy was flying with Charuru around the building, looking out the rare windows to see the insides. Lily and Happy had launched themselves into the battle, the first one punching with his original form, and the second one using "fish shots" in his opponents' face. Bixlow, Fried and Evergreen fought again a small group on the right. Cana, Macao, Elfman and Wakaba tried to block the gates, preventing anyone to retreat inside.

"Beat them all!" Makarov ordered as he grew the triple of a human's size, sending flying a tens of enemies who couldn't do anything to protect themselves with a single punch. "Levy, do your job!"

The young girl, who had remained hidden and waited for the signal, nodded and ran quickly toward the gates still open, her legs leading her as fast as they could, stimulated by adrenaline and determination. She turned around a last time toward her friends who fought so hard, and she could see frozen, burnt, soaked or thunderstruck enemies who flew across the sky only to be dropped on the ground and remained inert. She ran inside the large building, making herself as discreet as possible and praying that no one was inside with her. She crossed a small corridor, opened a door and she found herself in a large room, where two long tables and a bar like Fairy Tail's stood. Finally, she saw multiple doors on both sides of the room and opened the nearest at once. She climbed a range of steps, thinking that it was leading on a tower's top. As she reached the top, she found a series of rooms she opened one by one, before she climbed down without a result. More and more panicked at each second, she ignored her painful legs and her short breath which burnt her in the chest.

Levy ran, opening each door, desperately searching the Iron Dragon Slayer in each room and praying that she wouldn't be found. Anyway, she was praying a lot today. Simply because she was terrified. Terrified about being found and having to fight, terrified about a failure in the plan, terrified about losing Gajeel forever. So she came back in the large central room after searching in three different towers, and she heard a flutter before she saw Lily come to her.

"Gajeel isn't outside and Wendy didn't found him around the guild. In my opinion, Ivan found out he was our spy and Gajeel is locked somewhere." The cat panted as he dropped on the floor, making his wings disappear.

"Lily, do you know where the dungeons are? If he was locked somewhere, it certainly here..." The young girl supposed, her throat knotted with apprehension at the thought of going in such a dark and gloomy place.

"Usually we could find the dungeons both in height or underground, and considering the size and the shape of the towers, I rather bet they are in the underground. Follow me, I think I know where they are."

Lily opened the doors Levy hadn't touch, ignoring the ones which were hiding stairs that leaded on the top, until he found one which leaded to the underground and they went down quickly, plunging slowly in the guild's foundations. It was obvious that Levy wasn't relieved with the number of spiderwebs that increased with each of her step and with the light which was slowly disappearing. Pushing another door, both of them found themselves in a dark corridor, filled with prison cells on each sides. The only light that filtered the place was coming from a little square above each cell, where they could see a piece of blue sky. Abruptly Levy began to run, the cat close behind her, glancing from right to left, unwilling to linger in such a creepy place which smelled death. She prayed with all her might that Gajeel wasn't here. But apparently, this prayer hadn't been heard.

As she ran near the last cell, approaching more and more of the end of the corridor, she saw something. No, someone. Instantly, she froze and came back slightly. She had to realize, if she didn't know him and meet him since a long time, she couldn't have recognized him. Horrified, she couldn't help but scream before she muffled her voice with her hands, her legs gave up and she fell backward against the wall. Lily growled deeply, staring at the prison cell with anger incomprehension, tears in his cat eyes. Because before them, here was Gajeel. But certainly not the Gajeel they knew. No, this one wasn't recognizable anymore. Not after what he had been through.

**So? What do you think please?**

**The next one is coming soon!**


	2. Hopes Despair Pain

**Here is chapter 2! Thanks for the reviews and the favs and the story alerts in the name of Yankee-chan! **

**Oh by the way Yankee! I'd like to thank you for the "story/author alert" but let me remind you that YOU are the author! XD**

**Well, enjoy or please tell me what's wrong! And sorry for the mistakes.**

…...

Levy couldn't hear anything anymore, couldn't see anything anymore, beside the horrible spectacle in front of her. She was living a nightmare and if her voice wasn't stuck in her throat, she would have screamed a long time ago. She was paralyzed by fear, choc, emotions and painful monstrous memories that clashed into her.

In front of her, chained to a dark stoned wall, his inert body and his head dropped, was Gajeel. He was covered in blood, so much blood that even finding a single square centimeter of his skin that wasn't colored red was a miracle. The quantity of chains around his arms was so huge that she couldn't see them, but she could guess the amount of wounds that hid under. A red liquid was slowly dropping on the floor with a steady and ominous rhythm, feeding little by little a pond already too large at his feet. His coat was torn revealing gaping and deep cuts, also dripping with blood, soaking his pants that used to be so white and clean. His chest was rising with difficulty, jerkily, so weakly that it seemed to remain still. His head was bowed, half-hidden by his hair which, instead of being spiky, was falling sadly on either side of his face. And considering the blood which was dropping from here too, he hadn't been spared anywhere.

"GAJEEL!" Levy finally screamed with a hitched complaint that rang in the corridor.

"WHAT HAVE THEM DONE TO HIM?" Panther Lily bawled, gripping the bars firmly and trying to rip them.

Despite their cries, only silence answered them, broken by the sounds of the battle raging outside. Drowned in his pain, Gajeel couldn't hear anything except a faint whisper he couldn't answer.

Regaining the use of her legs along the desire to save her friend, Levy ran for the keys she though she saw at the entrance.

"Lily, go tell the others!" She screamed as she violently pushed the key into the lock.

The black cat obeyed reluctantly and flew as fast as he could, removing with a raging pawn his tears. As the door flew open with a sharp crack, the young girl rushed inside.

"Gajeel, hold on!"

As fast as she could, she freed him from his chains before she quickly laid him on the floor. She wasn't feeling able to carry two hundred pounds when her legs could barely support herself. With a shaking but oh-so-soft gesture, she removed his hair that was sticking to his face and gave him light pats on his cheek.

"Come on, wake up, please."

Nothing, he didn't react. Levy bit her lip furiously, but it didn't stop her from crying and letting her tears fall on the dragon's face. It was like she was suffering as much as he was. Seeing him hurt, destroyed, humiliated... she didn't want to see him like this, she wanted to see his smile, hear his voice, she didn't want him to suffer. While she kept on crying, trapped in the pain that stabbed her heart, a weak voice below her called her name and someone touch her arm.

"Levy..."

Well no, not a voice, rather a whisper, faint and hoarse, that she just had the chance to hear.

"Gajeel! Are you alright?"

"Peachy." He quipped in one breath, a painful and contorted snarl appearing on his face, his eyes still closed.

"We came to save you. Lily went to bring the others, they're going to come, hold on okay? We'll get you out of here."

"No. I can't go outside." He declared with a hissing voice.

"What? How that you can't? Of course you can! Stop talking nonsense, I'd carry you if you can't walk!" Levy yelled. She didn't understand why he was telling this.

"Levy... I can't go outside... I won't be able to do that... even if you would carry me... it wouldn't work."

"I forbid you to say it! Since when are you talking in a so defeatist way?"

The young girl started to cry again, but in fear and anger this time and she was still shaking. The mage gripped her with a weak hand and grunted. He somehow managed to force her to look at him and he opened his eyes with difficulty. And this time, Levy couldn't hold back a long horrified cry of despair.

"For God's sake! What have they done to you Gajeel?"

The dragon didn't answer, a painful frozen rictus on his face. If he had been able to share tears, he would have done it for once. Because his eyes, which used to be so bright and shiny, were cold and dull now. The red color, sparking and mesmerizing anyone who locked eyes on them, had gone to be replaced by a faint pink, nearly white.

"Do you understand now when I say I can't go outside?" The iron mage growled with a sharp voice. "He did this to me so I can't escape, even if you guys came to help me... You shouldn't have come here..."

He was blind.

"No... they didn't dare... but... Gajeel..." Levy stammered as her heart beat painfully against her chest. A cold chill spread through her body as she suddenly felt an incredible desire to kill the one who did this to him.

Gajeel didn't answer. Anyway, what could he say? Except that he had been caught by Ivan and that they tortured him everyday for a month. Nothing else, he had nothing to say. But since Levy had come to save him, it was out of question that she left without him, he will come with her at any cost. And just when she was about to carry him and go back with him, their hopes were suddenly dashed.

"What a wonderful surprise." A voice rang in their back. "I just killed a black cat which wanted to go outside, and what do I find? A damn fairy trying to help this filthy traitor."

With a start, Levy turned around toward the one ho just arrived. Even if she'd never seen him before, she knew exactly who he was. Tall, a black beard, a crazy expression spread on his face, weird cloths and not really inspiring trust, he had a long katana in hand, covered in blood. And considering the aura and the charisma which emanated from him, there was no doubt, it was Ivan.

Immediately the young girl positioned herself between him and the Dragon Slayer, determined to protect him. And suddenly she remembered what he just said. A black cat? Lily. An horrified chill ran through her. She was alone, the others fought outside and they didn't know what happened here.

"You know little girl, you'd better stay away. Because crows eat fairies."

Without saying anything else, Ivan raised his arm toward her, whispered a curse and several white shikigami appeared, gripping the young girl's arms at full speed and pinning her to the wall so her feet didn't touch the ground. As she tried to struggle, the paper dolls turned into steel fasteners, horribly looking like the ones Gajeel had used the first time they met. Instantly she began to shake, as flashbacks of terror filled her mind, and she screamed and fought, even if it was useless.

"How do those damned things work?" She yelled.

It was just paper, they couldn't turn into iron.

"It's obvious though, isn't it?" The black mage retorted with a smirk. "Let's say I didn't only take the view from your dearest Gajeel. My shikigami are very talented when it comes to absorb magic."

He burst into laughing, a cruel and sadistic laugh which gave her cold chills, before he turned serious again as he turned toward the growling Dragon Slayer on the floor who still couldn't move an inch. He suddenly declared:

"I can't believe I trusted him. It was a risk I have to take, and unfortunately for him I found out his little spy game. In fact, it was just a fluke. If he really hated Fairy Tail, as he told me, he never would have saved your pathetic life to the point he nearly gave his own on Tenrou Island. He betrayed himself by doing so. Any spy, even the best, couldn't risk his life at this point just to play his role."

When she saw him walked toward Gajeel who was still laying on the ground, and tightened his grip around his katana with a deadly aura, the young girl struggled desperately, crying helplessly as she realized it was useless.

"Since the beginning I was too nice with you Gajeel. It's time for you to pay and to understand that I hate those who betray me."

In a violent movement, he planted his katana in Gajeel's right shoulder, the blade piercing through it and sank into the ground with an horrible sound. The roar of pain the dragon let escape at this moment as he writhed on the floor was joined by Levy's who had the impression to feel exactly the same. Realizing that her cries wouldn't stop their enemy, she bowed her head and begged him with a shaking voice.

"Leave him alone... stop... I beg you, leave him alone!"

Her tears streamed down her cheeks quickly, while uncontrollable sobs escaped from her throat.

"Yet he'd hurt you too, didn't he? Did you already forget? You shouldn't forgive him."

Yes, he had hurt her. Badly. But even if Gajeel had committed irreparable acts, he didn't deserve the punishment Ivan inflicted to him. If Ivan had to kill someone, she wanted him to choose her and not him, she didn't want Gajeel to die. But no one never listened to her. She had enough.

"Hey! You clownhead! Attack someone who can fight rather than hurting someone who cannot move anymore!" The young girl shouted with a furious voice, hoping he would leave the Dragon Slayer alone.

And that's what he did. As Ivan turned around to face the young girl and retort, Gajeel grabbed his leg violently and growled as he managed to make him fall on the ground with a sharp blow. Now that he had caught him, he won't let go. A little sword in his shoulder wouldn't stop him. At least that's what he thought before the black mage pronounced an incantation and thirty shikigami pierced his chest, remaining stuck like darts. The iron mage growled and fell again, spiting blood, and Ivan stood up again, took his katana he had dropped with an unconcealed violence.

"Now that's enough. You've enough abused of my generosity, you're going to die!"

After these hateful words, he pronounced a new incantation. At first nothing happened, then Levy saw the paper dolls stuck in Gajeel's body turned red and suddenly vibrated. Before they exploded. The young girl's desperate cry got lost into the deflagration. The blast sent flying the Dragon Slayer through three prison cells, leaving trails of flames in the way.

Levy began to fight harder and harder, her feet beating in the air, trying to get rid of the Shikigami. How did those pesky pieces of paper manage to be so strong and hard to remove?

As Ivan moved away from Gajeel laying a few yards away, he came closer to her, his long black blade in his hand, with the clearly intend to kill in his eyes. He finally stopped before her, staring at her with an amused smile as she desperately fought and Levy did the only thing she was able to do. With a violent and fast gesture, filled with hatred and desire of revenge, she threw violently her foot between Ivan's legs. He didn't see it coming considering the expression that spread on his face at this moment. As he dropped his weapon and fell on his knees, red face and widened eyes, his hands between his legs with crows and shikigami floating above his head, the young girl kicked him again in the face. As the black mage fell on the floor unconscious, the shikigami which pinned Levy disappeared into smoke and she fell to the ground. Ignoring her foot, painful after having being threw twice against her fucking enemy, she ran toward Gajeel, panting, before she fell beside him. Face against the ground, he didn't move, with huge burns on his already ravaged body. Slowly and gently, the young blue haired woman flipped him, laying him on his back little by little. Eyes closed, he still didn't react and Levy's heart jumped in her chest, her members turning limp slowly.

"No Gajeel, you can't... you can't do this to me now." She cried.

His chest wasn't rising anymore, he wasn't breathing, collapsed and inert. Even his blood had stopped flowing from his wounds. With an instinctive gesture, the Solid Script mage's hand touched his neck, and she gasped with horror when she realized she didn't feel anything, except the Dragon Slayer's warmth leaving slowly.

"No Gajeel! NO! I BEG YOU DON'T DO THAT!"

She had the impression that her heart wanted to pierce her chest, and wanted to replaced his own, too calm and lifeless. If she could, Levy would have given it to him with joy. But she couldn't. All she could do was scream, carrying Gajeel's lifeless and bloody body in her arms.

"GGGAAAJJJEEEEEELLL!"

…...

… **PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I'm ONLY the translator! XD**


	3. Angst Relief Good news

**Do you wanna know if Gajeel is dead? Then read (and enjoy and review and... er, what else? Send us money? No way! ^^)**

**Thanks for the reviews, advices, favs and alerts (in the name of Yankee-chan and mine), we loved them!**

**I only own the translation and the mistakes (sorry)**

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It was impossible. Levy's mind refused to believe or even consider this possibility. Gajeel couldn't be dead. Not now. He had faced so many things, he couldn't die here! Her mind wanted to believe this fact, she wanted to believe, but what her eyes saw didn't lie. The Dragon Slayer didn't move anymore, and if she left him like this, nothing could bring him back, she wouldn't see him smile anymore, wouldn't hear him talk anymore, nothing. And she needed him, maybe it was selfish, but she wanted him to come back for her, she wanted him to stay beside her.

So Levy did the first thing that crossed her mind. Even if, considering Gajeel's conditions, she would never have done it if she wasn't so terrified. She slapped him, hard. The sharp slap that resulted rang in the corridor, followed by a beautiful sentence:

"Wake up idiot!"

But the dragon didn't move, didn't react, still immobile and silent. Desperate, the young girl slapped him twice, but it didn't work.

"Gajeel, please..." She whimpered.

Her tears dropped on the dragon's face, cleaning the blood, leaving long white trails. Unable to hold back her sobs anymore, she gripped his collar and buried her face in his neck. But still no reaction, just his warmth evaporating and his so intoxicating smell disappearing.

So she shook him violently, hoping to obtain a reaction from him, but nothing happened. She yelled at him, hugged him, beg him to come back. As the minutes went by, she panicked more and more, realizing that his chances to survive were decreasing. She couldn't help but shake violently, her empty mind wasn't able to think anymore, but she didn't want him to die, she didn't want to lose him. Was she really this weak? Would she never manage to help him, while he did so many times? No! She would bring him back, no matter what!

That was her last hope, if it didn't work, there would be anything else to do. She laid down the mage slowly and knelt before him, paying it would work. Trying to go as slowly as possible despite her panic, she began to press his chest, hoping to make his heart beat again, but still nothing. Gently, she brought her hand behind the Dragon Slayer's neck and raised it slightly. Her lips joined his, already so cold, before exhaling all the air her lungs contained. And she did it again. Once, twice, three times, and finally, when she lost the count after repeating this gesture so many times, footsteps rang. Except that they came from the corridor AND from behind her.

A growl and a slight insult in her back told her that Ivan had recover from the hit. As she was about to turned toward him, ready to defend and protect Gajeel, Fairy Tail's mages arrived at the same time, unintentionally crashing the poor black mage who were just on his knees. Shouts followed, and Natsu even said "Excuse me" to the Raven Tail's master who had now a big footprint on his face. Embedded in the ground, he couldn't manage to move a finger anymore considering that Grey pinned him to the floor and Erza pointed him with a tens of swords she won't hesitate to throw to him if he moved. Happy was helping Pantherlily to walk, because he was really bad wounded. Blood was flowing on his cute fur, his tail was disheveled and he was limping. He had been about to prevent everyone when Ivan had found him. So he had pretend he was dead, otherwise he would have really be. Talking about wounds, the others mages weren't better, they all had bruises and cuts, but it wasn't that which could stop them to fight again.

"Levy, are you okay?" The black cat asked as he approached slowly.

"I am, but not Gajeel..." She answered crying.

"Don't tell me he is..."

Lucy didn't manage to finish her sentence, too chocked as she realized the Dragon Slayer's conditions and her friend's. Just like the others, she had an empty gaze. And suddenly, Makarov arrived, blowing like an ox and with a thin trickle of blood flowing from his temple, and without saying a word he ran toward Gajeel, observed him carefully, searching his pulse and holding his head.

"What should we do? Where's Wendy? She can heal him, can't she?"

Levy had let go of Gajeel and moved away to make a way for her Master. It was only now she noticed that her hands and clothes were fully covered in blood, but not hers. If she could have tear her heart from her chest to stop suffering, she would have do it, it was the first time it hurt so much and no one could calm her down. Curled on herself, she whimpered, whispering unknown words, and no matter how her friends were close to her, she couldn't calm down, she had the feeling that her world and her life were disappearing as the Dragon Slayer plunged in the darkness.

"Wendy and Sharuru had been shot while they were flying around the building. Arzak and Bisca had hidden with her and Macao, Wakaba and Cana had gone along with them to heal themselves in the case there were still mages to fight." Erza explained without breaking contact with Ivan's body.

"But we need her! Gajeel's going to die if she doesn't help him!" The blue haired woman screamed la mage, crying a bit more as seconds passed.

"Hey you! You old fart! Cancel your sorts!" Natsu ordered as he grabbed the black mage by the collar of his funny coat and shook him like a plum tree.

"Like if it waf poffible. We can't change the paft. And even if I could, I'd never do it!" Ivan decreed with a weird voice (apparently he had lost several teeth), and then he fainted into sweet dreams after a colossal inflamed slap from Natsu.

"But what should we do?"

"Calm down Levy, we're going to find a way." The Master said, kneeling beside her and Gajeel.

"Maybe we could electrocute him?" The fire Dragon Slayer said.

"Idiot! Do you see a lightening mage here?" The young blue haired girl replied.

"Or we can give him iron?"

"How do you want him to eat in this condition!"

They never have seen Levy answer like this to someone, and it was kinda scary, but considering the situation, they understood, everyone was tense. Suddenly, the Master spoke again, with an uncertain but determinate voice:

"There is perhaps something I can try. Levy, take Gajeel on your knees, you have to hold his head. And you Lucy, try to feel his pulse please."

The young girl looked at her Master, a glimmer of hope in her eyes and she obeyed, placing gently Gajeel's inanimate head on her knees, holding it firmly, while Lucy caught his wrist to check his pulse and Makarov placed slowly his hands on the Dragon Slayer's chest. Suddenly a golden light appeared, and began to pulsate through the iron mage's body, causing involuntary spasms, like an electroshock.

"What are you doing?" Grey asked, as everyone wondered the same thing.

"I violently send my magic through his body to stimulate his heart, it acts like electric shocks even if it's less effective."

For a while that seems to be an eternity, nothing happened, and they were all thinking that nothing could bring the dragon back and that it was really over.

"Stop, wait!" Lucy suddenly shouted and jumped.

Immediately Makarov stopped and watched her with intensity, followed by Levy's look, filled with hope, and by the others mages' gaze. The blond girl tightened her grip around his wrist, focused, waiting for something. Until she felt it. A weak and irregular heartbeat, but still a heartbeat.

"I've got a pulse!" She whispered in triumph, a big smile reaching her ears enlightening her face.

And she wasn't the only one. Immediately, everyone began to yell with joy, except Levy who was crying and laughing in the same time and Natsu who was shaking Ivan again, but it seemed that he wanted to encourage him to join the party. But apparently the master preferred to remain unconscious and not to share the Fairy Tail mages' happiness.

Makarov continued a little longer, to stabilize his heart and make it beat with a faster and regular rhythm. Gajeel's chest rose slightly, meaning he was breathing again although he was still unconscious.

Gently the Master of Fairy Tail took the Dragon Slayer in his arms which had grown the triple of their size and, followed by his guild members, they came out of the building after having locked and securely chained the Raven Tail members and called the royal army. They found the other group hidden behind rocks who was in the process of taking care of a crying Wendy who was bleeding from the shoulder. After they healed her, they could return to Magnolia. But the city was too far, they couldn't reach it in one single day, especially with everyone exhausted and hurt. They decided to stop at Shirotsume hospital because Gajeel really needed an emergency care. Three days later, they could go back to Fairy Tail after being questioned by the Council, like they were when the war against Phantom Lord had been declared. What an irony, they just came to rescue one of their former enemies, and they found themselves in the identical situation when they had defeated the Phantoms. But they didn't care in the end, and all's well that ends well.

Almost...

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**(sigh of relief) YEAH he's alive! Yankee-chan loves him too much to just kill him.**

**The next one will be the last one. Hope you'll read it again!**


	4. All's well that ends well

**This is the last chapter! I hope you loved this fic despite the mistakes some of you found (sorry again). Thanks for all the favs and reviews!**

**I only own the translation blablabla... so Hooray for Mashima and Yankee!**

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After this events, everyone thought that everything was back to normal. But no, not really. Because there was more bad news than good news. Firstly, Gajeel was in coma.

Everyone was back to Fairy Tail and it'd been a week since he was in the infirmary, motionless, like if he was asleep, except that he would never wake up, covered by bandages and surrounded by repetitive sounds from the machines that kept him alive.

Levy came to see him once a day, and stayed with him for hours holding his hand, hoping she would feel it move. She talked to him too, about what happened in Fairy Tail, about the latest fights between Natsu and Grey, and read him stories, praying for a reaction. But nothing, no motion, no word, no breath. Sometimes, she played with his hair, stroking them, or caressed his cheek, but she quickly gave up, feeling like a thief from doing this without his permission and abusing of his conditions. Because she knew he would have roar to her if she did this without asking. Pantherlily was here too, laying beside his friend, leaving only to eat kiwis or have a walk.

And while Levy was looking after him, the others Fairy Tail mages were thinking because in addition to being between life and death, Gajeel was still blind. Everyone was meeting in the infirmary to talk about it, but they didn't find appropriate solutions.

"Maybe he should eat iron and he will be better!" Natsu declared, and his idea was immediately rejected.

"If Ivan had used a spell, we can cancel it for sure." Lucy stated, but considering that the black mage had been arrested, all his potential spells had already been canceled, and still Gajeel wasn't better.

"Maybe he will be back to normal with the time." Wendy added. She couldn't have healed his eyes either, she had used different spells, but nothing had worked. She ignored why and she really seemed sorry.

But the Master refused. They couldn't wait, it could get worse and maybe they won't be able to do anything after.

"We could ask Polyussica?" Erza suggested. "She managed to heal my eye, maybe she could do the same for Gajeel."

The Master seemed to consider this solution. And after a few minutes, he declared as he rubbed his chin :

"I guess we can try, it's better than nothing. I'm going to contact her and see if she can come."

Slowly he walked toward his office and closed the door behind him. He came out an hour later to say that his old friend would come when Gajeel woke up. If he woke up someday.

And finally, a few days later, something happened.

It was nine o'clock in the morning when Mirajane walked in the infirmary, carrying a box carton full of bandages and sanitizers she placed in a room next to the healing room. It was only when she returned and walked near Gajeel's bed she thought she heard a faint growl. She jumped and froze, and ignoring if she had just imagined it or of it was real, she simply approached the Dragon and said:

"Gajeel?"

The Dragon Slayer didn't move, still motionless and eyes shut, until the barmaid saw his lips and nose move and heard a faint whisper:

"Where 'm I?"

The only answer that escaped her lips at first was a "Ooooh!" but she quickly regained her composure.

"It's alright Gajeel, you are back to Fairy Tail, in the infirmary. Wait a minute I'm going to tell the others." She whispered with a shaking voice.

She opened the door and ran outside, and get caught by everyone's gaze. To tell the truth, the mages didn't even need explications and a few seconds later the small Fairy Tail infirmary was full of people who were pushing each other and yelling to hear news.

Gajeel, meanwhile, had a serious headache and felt sick. Couldn't they shut the hell up for five minutes? They were shrieking so loudly that even with his enhanced ears he couldn't understand them, and with so many people around his bed, he couldn't distinguish them due to the high amount of different smells. Not only he had no idea how he had arrived in Fairy Tail, but everyone was also enjoying staring at him. Dammit, they had nothing better to do? Besides, considering how weak he felt, he must be in a pitiful state. He just remembered what happened with Ivan when Levy had tried to rescue him. Then nothing, no sound or image, just darkness. And besides, Levy? Where was she? Was she alright?

As he was about to tell them to shut the hell up someone threw itself at him. Surprised, he gasped and growled at the sudden contact and the pain that pierced his shoulders and arms, before he recognized _her_.

"Levy..." He whispered, feeling truly relieved. For a moment he had been scared for her, even if he'd probably never tell her.

When she heard her name, the shaking young girl pulled him closer, carefully making sure she wasn't hurting him.

"Gajeel you're awake, oh God you're alright... I was so scared for you, you idiot, don't ever do this again!"

She was laughing and sobbing at the same time and Gajeel couldn't help but blush stupidly in front of everybody!

Fortunately, Lily's entry prevented anyone to make a disparaging remark. He changed into his original form and launched himself at Gajeel and hugged him (and Levy in the process). But unfortunately for them, the big cat wasn't as sweet and careful as the young girl, and the Dragon Slayer confirmed it by a groan of pain. In the end, he wish he hadn't awoken. And apparently when Lily had thrown himself at him, it seemed it had been the starting signal and he was practically buried under Natsu, Grey and the others who wanted to check if he was still alive. Well, by trying to kill him apparently.

"That's enough let go of him now!" Makarov bellowed. Alerted by the noise, he came to see what happened.

For once the iron mage was grateful. The Master had probably saved his life, he would be dead if he hadn't stop all these idiots who launched at him. Then the old guild master climbed as best as he could on the bed and tapped his shoulder too. Gajeel took back what he just though, they were all crazy.

"Glad that you finally woke up, son!"

Gajeel simply answered by a growl. He didn't feel able to say "yeah me too" since he didn't felt that way. He just wanted to be alone, and his wish wasn't heard until a few hours later when they finished to check if everything was alright. He began to recover slowly, despite his multiple wounds that prevented him from standing up and the fact that he was somewhat in trance, as if he was lost in his thoughts.

And of course, he was still bedridden, for two days now, and Levy contrived to be with him as much as possible. It was her who fed although he firstly refused, insisting that he could do it by himself. But when he failed for the tenth attempt, he finally gave up, telling himself it wasn't easy to eat when he couldn't see anything. So he let the young girl take care of him, even if he was pouting every time and didn't hesitate to groan that he was no longer a baby. Positive point, he hadn't lost his bad temper.

The next morning, Levy returned to the infirmary at about ten o'clock like always and sat beside Gajeel who turn his head toward her, well at least toward the spot he heard a noise. There was silence during many minutes, and the young girl finally spoke.

"I've repaired your coat." She began with a little voice.

It was true that after being tortured by Ivan, his coat had been a little (a lot) affected, and the blue haired mage had taken it home to fix it, even if she wasn't a queen of sewing. But she did her best even if it wasn't a professional work. And she was the one who took care of Gajeel since they had returned, she could do this too.

"Hmm." The Dragon Slayer simply answered, head bowed and eyes still shut.

Of course, he could have opened them, but that would be the same. Nothing would change, except that he would feel the look of the others on him, and he hated this more than anything. So he kept them shut.

"Do you want me to put it for you?" She nicely asked.

"Yeah, if you want."

It was rare for him a single word. Most of the time, he just growled to answer. Slowly Levy sat in the bed, facing him and she straightened him a bit more, arranging the cushions behind him.

"Wait a minute, I'm going to change your bandages at the same time."

Slowly, she sat on the Dragon's laps and began to undo his bandages. He wasn't bleeding to much anymore, but his wounds were still open despite his stitches, and it was better to avoid an infection. He didn't react when the young girl touched him, but it was the contrary for her. She felt her legs turned into cotton, her face blushing, and her heart beating faster and faster. She absolutely had to regain composure and simply do what she had said, even if she wanted to nuzzle against him and caress his skin more than anything.

"Maybe Erza found a solution for your eyes." She declared sounding hopeful to break this heavy silence she didn't like.

"Oh really?"

He straightened slightly his head, a little intrigued note could be heard in his question.

"Yes. When she was young, she hurt her eye and couldn't see with it. And a friend of the Master managed to heal her and gave her the view back, maybe she could do the same for you. Normally she comes today. But she's strange, I prefer warning you."

"Yeah, we'll see." He sighed not sounding convinced even if he gave her an half smile.

As soon as she finished bandaging his worst looking wounds, she helped the mage to put his coat, which wasn't easy. For once she was happy he couldn't see her, because she was blushing and sweating. But when it was done, another feeling gained her. Gradually, as the silence thickened again, she felt an enormous pain in her throat. She knew that Gajeel hated most of all that someone would show pity for him, but she couldn't help it. She didn't see him for a month and here was the result. It broke her heart, seeing him like this.

"Why are you crying?" The Dragon Slayer grunted. He felt that something was wrong.

Although Levy couldn't see his look, she knew by seeing his face that her tears were disturbing him. Slowly she put her hand on his.

"No, it's nothing, don't worry about it." She stammered with a shaking voice.

She jumped when he removed his hand from the young girl's grip and caught her arm instead. Slowly he reached her face and somehow managed to dry her tears.

"Don't cry, not for me."

He gently caressed her cheek, like he did before he left for this damned mission. Once again Levy's hand joined his on her cheek and pressed it as she laid her head on the iron mage's shoulder, trying to hide her emotions, but she was still sobbing.

"It's just... I don't like seeing you like this, it hurts, I want you to be fine and everything to be like before."

Gajeel opened his mouth and blushed. To be honest, he didn't know what to say to comfort her, he never tried to comfort anyone before, especially a girl. And also, he needed to spit something too.

"However on the other hand... when you think about it... I got what I deserved, didn't I?" He spat with a hoarse voice.

"How that you deserved it? No one deserved such a thing! Stop talking nonsense!"

"And after what I've done to you... You still think I didn't deserve it?"

Levy froze and her eyes widened, finally understanding what he meant.

"It's past Gajeel, say no more about it." She whispered with a soft voice as she caressed his cheek. But he shook his head vigorously and clenched his teeth.

"And why don't you want to talk about it? Because it hurts, isn't it? No matter what I'll do to mend my errors, nobody will forget what I've done, and especially not me. So when you thought about what I did to you, aren't you pleased to see I paid for my crimes even if my torture had nothing to do with it at the first place? Aren't you pleased to know I can't see anymore?"

"Gajeel! Don't you dare say that! Who could rejoice at someone's suffering?" The young girl screamed as she felt tears flow again.

"Me."

"No it's not true! And that was before! Since you joined Fairy Tail, you changed! I know it, better than anyone! We can't move on if we keep thinking of the past Gajeel! Even if I know you didn't forgive yourself, let me say that I did. I'd never be able to blame you."

"Tch, you're too kind..."

"And there is a good reason for me to be."

Gently she cupped Gajeel's face and raised his head before she brushed his lips. He didn't react immediately, still angry with himself, but eventually he relaxed slightly and caught her waist before he somehow returned the kiss. Then he buried his face in her neck, growling. For once he was the one who gave himself up against her, and not the contrary.

And that's when the door opened suddenly, reveling Makarov, Polyussica and the others Fairy Tail's members. Everyone's eyes widened when they saw the two embraced friends, except the old pink haired lady who didn't want to waste her time apparently.

"Well love birds, no time for cuddling! I don't want to waste my time!"

"Come on, don't say that, you came for me last time..." Makarov tried to speak.

"Yes, and it was the last time!"

The old guild Master sighed and scratched his head. Embarrassed like ever, Levy stepped aside instantly as she understood the situation and she stared at the floor and played with her hands, feeling her friends' gazes piercing her back. And especially to avoid looking at Gajeel who had to opened the eyes to allow Makarov's old friend to do something.

"For heaven's sake you're all the same, you only think about fighting, you men!"

Gajeel growled and crossed his arms on his chest but didn't answered. After a long moment spent grumbling about the men's stupidity (which Elfman didn't like), the old lady straightened and declared as she was about to leave :

"Well. I'll do what I can, it doesn't seem incurable. And you! The blue haired little girl! You come with me to help. Your magic can heal people, so you could be useful! I take her with me."

In a quick gesture, she gripped Wendy's arm. The little girl who didn't understand yet what happened to her was entrained toward the door followed by Charuru who yelled that it wasn't a good manner to treat a kid. And so the little girl was kidnapped before the dumbfounded eyes of her friends and Makarov's somewhat amused look.

Poluyssica came back two days later, followed by an exhausted Wendy and an angry Charuru who kept complain about forced child labor. The young Dragon Slayer had enjoyed concocting potions and other strange mixtures, then she'd used her sky magic to confer healing power to them. She had worked on it until the night before. Without talking about the failed potions and the explosions. The old pinky strange haired lady was carrying a dozen vials and alembics with strange colors which gave no desire to know their composition. And considering Gajeel's pleated nose when she opened them, they shouldn't be good. However she forced him to swallowed them one by one when she noticed the previous had no effect. And considering Gajeel's face which turned green and his grimaces of disgust, they were obviously distasteful.

"Well you're a tough guy." Polyussica declared after she gave him the eighth potion as the iron mage was about to beg her to stop, his skin turning nearly as white as his pants.

She tried three others. A purple, a blue and an orange one, and fortunately for him one of them worked. With a gasp of disgust and an oppressed grunt he opened his eyes again. But this time he saw a blur room which became clearer slowly. He had a surprised expression, which faded the second he saw Natsu.

"Hey Gajeel, how many fingers do you see?" The fire dragon asked once again to check if it'd worked.

However, as he did for the eleven time before, he was showing him the wrong finger. But this time the iron Dragon Slayer noticed it. Gajeel growled and gripped violently the fire mage's hand and torn it with a sadistic and amused grin, then he answered, sticking out his tongue :

"Zero."

The pink haired mage let escape a yelp, along with the surprised cries from all the other mages, before he stepped back and fell onto Grey. Almost immediately everyone ran for their life, leaving the three mages fight gently. Even if Gajeel wasn't fully recovered yet, he fought sitting on his bed, which wasn't very practical.

And the days went by quietly. A week later, Gajeel was fed up with staying on a bed and left the infirmary against Makarov's order. Everything was fine, well for now at least, there was still a little problem.

Levy came home quietly, lost in her thoughts and barely watching where she was going. Something was bothering her to tell the truth. Since she'd kissed Gajeel when he recovered the sight, he did as if nothing had happened between them. Well not exactly. Of course they were closer than before, they were talking together once a day at least, but the Dragon Slayer didn't try anything, although the young girl saw him blush several times. Questions ran wild in her head, she had to speak with him. And strangely, the sky seemed to hear her prayer because she met the dragon along with Lily who were walking in the street, plunged into a great conversation. Without thinking, the young girl ran toward them.

"Gajeel! Lily!"

The Dragon Slayer turned around, hands in his pockets with a weak smile and Lily did the same as he glance at the two mages with a suggestive and amused look. There was no doubt, Gajeel told him what happened a few days ago.

"Where are you going?" The young girl asked trying to hide her blush as best as she could.

Because since what happened, she couldn't help but turn red when she saw the iron mage. It was really embarrassing.

"Mission." Lily answered.

"Can I come with you? I mean, until the train station?"

"Of course, we don't refuse some company, do we Gajeel?"

"Huh? Yeah if you want." The Dragon Slayer stated and turned his head away.

The black cat noticed his movement and he slyly added:

"I think I'm going to leave you both alone, I think you have a lot of things to tell to each other. See you at the train station, I'm going to buy the train tickets."

"What does that suppose to mean?" Gajeel growled.

Levy, secretly enchanted, gave the black cat a grateful smile. Lily winked at her and left without answering his partner who scowled. With a small smile he quickly left toward the train station as he glanced at the dragon who narrowed his eyes. Except now they were alone... Well... Levy didn't know what to say.

"What's the job?"

"Beat delinquents who were tagging Crocus' wall."

"Hitting and beating over and over again huh." She sighed and shook her head.

"What else? No way I'm gonna help old hags and do shopping for them!" The iron mage grumbled, perfectly remembering their discussion they had the last time.

In fact it was strange, they were finding themselves in the same situation, except this time Gajeel wasn't lying to keep a secret. And he was feeling much better about that.

They walked side by side, the silence fell between them, when suddenly Gajeel caught Levy's hand and squeezed it gently. The young girl jumped and looked at him. She saw a red face which looked obstinately in the opposite direction. Amused she smiled before pressing the dragon's big hand in return and came closer to him. So there was still hope.

"I wanted to thank you."

This funny sentence she thought she could never hear escaped the Dragon Slayer's lips yet.

"Why?" The young girl asked as she finally locked her eyes on his.

"Because you didn't leave me." He answered with a soft voice.

It was now Levy's turn to blush and not to know what to say. Troubled and embarrassed she stared at her shoes, but she didn't let go of the iron mage's hand. It was funny and surprising to see how their relationship had evolved since the first day until now.

"Be careful, okay?" Levy demanded when they arrived to the train station entry.

"Don't worry, I will be." He answered with a smirk and a slight wink.

"I've already heard that not so long ago and I saw the result." She declared skeptical.

Gajeel didn't even bother to argue. He locked her I his arms and before she even understood, he had crushed his lips on hers. Instantly she blushed and wrapped her arms around his neck, reducing the small space left between them and she closed her eyes, letting the warmth gradually invade her and forgetting the world around her. After a moment which seemed to short, they broke apart but stayed in the same position, forehead pressed on one another.

"Is that enough to say I will come back?" He asked and bit affectionately her nose tip.

"Only for now." She sighed with a perverted smile.

She brushed his lips again. However they were cut by Lily who came with two tickets in hand and a smirk painted on his face when he saw them embraced.

"Sorry to cut you but we have a train to catch..."

"Yeah."

Levy accompanied them to the dock where she kissed Gajeel a last time under the kitten's mischievous look. And when the train departed, she waved at them with a sad smile and a heart sank as she watched them go again. But Gajeel promised her to come back, she knew this time he would keep his word.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Done! Thanks for the people who read it until the end!**


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